Winter's Love
by Smallhands
Summary: Rika's mum is offered a job in another city which means they'll have to move. Rika makes some new friends and could it be that she actually starts to have feelings for someone?
1. Shock Suprises

This is my first Digimon fic so it might not be that good. I'll try to update once every week but I can't make any promises. It's pretty much about what happens when Rika goes to a new school because of her Mum's job, I can't tell you much else otherwise I'd give the story away. The whole thing has been planned out (this is really unusual for me) except what will happen at the very end.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, the people at Toei Animation do.  
  
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Rika trudged home from school; the sun was shining in the sky, its rays caressing everything it touched with warmth. The crisp autumn leaves crunched beneath her feet, a gentle breeze rustled through the trees.  
  
Rika sighed, life was so dull these days. She picked up her pace remembering that her mother had asked her to be home early, she had some sort of surprise for her. It wasn't anyone's birthday soon, it wouldn't be a surprise holiday in the middle of term, relatives she had never met before were coming, her mum was pregnant? She pondered over all these possibilities, ok so maybe not the last one so much. She sighed again, surprises were so over-rated.  
  
She turned the last corner and walked up the street, stopping at her house. She opened the gate and walked up the path which was littered with orange and yellow leaves. She walked in through the open front door and went straight to her room.  
  
"Rika," her Mum called down the hallway, "come to the lounge, there's something I need to tell you."  
  
Well I guess now I'll find out what this surprise is. Rika thought, pulling a T-shirt over her head and putting on the nearest pair of jeans.  
  
She walked down the hallway and in to the lounge where she sat on a comfy grey arm chair. Her mother was pacing up and down the room and looked nervous for some reason.  
  
"Are you ok?" Rika asked.  
  
"Oh, me," her mother stopped pacing and smiled at her, "I'm fine."  
  
There was a short, awkward silence. "Well..." started Rika.  
  
"Well what?" her mother asked.  
  
"What was it you wanted to tell me, Mum," Rika asked impatiently.  
  
"Oh yeah, that," her mother went on, "I've got some good news for you honey, I've been offered a job in another city which means we'll be moving there."  
  
Rika just sat there, as dumb as a dog.  
  
"I've already bought a house there and found a school for you to go to." She continued, "Is it ok?"  
  
"Yeah, it's.....great."  
  
"Really, is it? I was so worried you'd resent me for it." Her mother looked relieved.  
  
"Oh no, really, it's fine with me." Rika said, but it wasn't what she thought. It'll be just great, I mean I've only just made some really good friends which is a first for me and I probably won't see them again but it'll be just fine.  
  
Rika got up and slowly walked back to her bedroom, processing everything that had happened. Why now? Why did they have to leave now just when she was feeling secure? Her expression hardened, what was the point in making friends if as soon as went somewhere you'd never see them again? It caused too much pain.  
  
She walked into her room and sat on the bed, her school uniform was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. She stared at the ceiling, clearing her mind of all thoughts. But there was one thought that wouldn't go away. Why now?  
  
***  
  
"Rika!" her Mum called, "It's time for dinner!"  
  
"Coming," Rika replied with less enthusiasm.  
  
She slowly walked into the dinning room and sat down at the shinning wooden table. Her mother walked in carrying her food.  
  
"Isn't it exciting?" she asked her silent daughter.  
  
"Isn't what exciting?" she asked.  
  
"Us moving," her mother laughed slightly, "what else."  
  
"Oh yeah, that." Rika pushed the food around on her plate.  
  
"Are you sure your alright with it?" her mother asked, concerned, "We don't have to go if you don't want to. I thought it would be nice for a change of scene, you can make some new friends and you'll still be able to stay in contact with your friends here."  
  
"It's a great idea," Rika smiled for the first time since receiving the news, when her mother put it like that it didn't sound so bad. Maybe moving wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.  
  
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That is chapter 1, please R&R and tell me if you have any suggestions. Did you know that in 70 countries 'At the end of the day,' has been voted most annoying saying. 


	2. A New Home

Thanks to all those who reviewed, I'm sorry the last chapter was so short but I can't ever seem to write long ones.  
  
Senshi, what's a Ryuki?  
  
My updates might be a bit slow coming for a while because I have a social studies project on a natural disaster and how plate tectonics caused it.  
  
Here is chapter two.  
  
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Rika stared out the window, the trees were bare and the ground was littered with orange, red and yellow leaves. Autumn was drawing to a close and winter wasn't far behind it.  
  
She stepped outside, pulling on a jacket, biting back against the cold. A chill wind swept through the trees, chilling her bones, more signs that winter was coming.  
  
Walking down the path her feet trailed through the soggy leaves, they had lost all there autumn crunch to the merciless pounding of rain long ago. They now stuck to her shoes hanging limp and lifeless, sticking to the path like faded tattoos.  
  
She opened the gate to turn down the street, her breath hung in the air as crystals in front of her face. Rika inhaled the crisp air, soon she would never walk down this street again. She walked slowly, taking in everything around her, the paved sidewalk, the tar sealed road, the green lamp posts and the way the street seemed menacing but inviting at the same time. The tall fences seemed to tower above people but the houses were all brightly lit and the gentle hubbub told of normal family activities.  
  
Rika sighed, she would be sad to leave but was excited all the same. It would be sad leaving her friends behind but exciting to go to a new city and meet new people. Hadn't she been thinking that life was dull before receiving the news, well it certainly wasn't any more.  
  
The removal trucks had come in only a week before to take all there possessions that had been packed in brown cardboard boxes. All that was left were a few plates, some cutlery, bedding and things that they'd be able to take with them on the plane.  
  
She turned down the last street to the park, most of the leaves had already left the trees except for those of the vibrant evergreens. Rika walked through the park to the place where she said she'd meet her friends and sat down on one of the benches.  
  
They're late she thought. Just great it's freezing cold, it looks like it's about to rain and they're late.  
  
She was just thinking about leaving when she heard some familiar voices coming up the path.  
  
"Kenta, why did you have to spend so long looking for your hat?" asked Takato, rubbing his arms in the cold.  
  
"My mum says I'll catch a cold if I don't wear it." Kenta said defensively.  
  
"Awww, Kenta didn't want to disobey his mum," Kazu teased, "Mummy's boy."  
  
"Shut-up Kazu!"  
  
"I'm not sure your mummy would approve of you using such coarse language, Kenta." Kazu teased some more.  
  
"Do you ever take a hint, Kazu?" Rika asked in exasperation, looking at him in disgust.  
  
"We're sorry we're late Rika," Jeri apologised, Rika was glad to see she'd gotten rid of that ridiculous sock puppet.  
  
"Better late than never huh," Henry wasn't far behind.  
  
"Well at least you're here, even if I did have to sit out in the cold," Rika stood up.  
  
"So, what was the emergency about anyway?" asked Takato.  
  
"Not an emergency as such," Rika replied.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Henry.  
  
"Well......." Rika trailed off, she wasn't very good with people.  
  
"Well what?" asked Jeri looking worried, "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong it's just..." Rika struggled to find the right words.  
  
"Stop talking in riddles already and just tell us!" Kazu shook Rika by the shoulders.  
  
Rika shook him off disdainfully, "I'm moving to another city."  
  
They all just stared at her, no one could think of anything to say.  
  
"When?" croaked Takato after a long pause.  
  
"In a week," Rika replied quietly.  
  
Jeri started crying, "I'll miss you Rika," she hugged the other girl. Rika stiffened, not used to this kind of show of affection.  
  
"It'll be alright, I'll come back and visit you guys and there is always e-mail." Rika plied Jeri off her.  
  
"Why are you moving?" asked Henry.  
  
"My mum's job," Rika looked at the ground.  
  
"Well we're all really happy for you aren't we, guys." Takato looked at the others for support.  
  
"Yeah, I mean think of all the new people you'll meet," Henry said, forcing enthusiasm into his voice.  
  
"We really are happy for you Rika, but we will miss you," Jeri wiped the tears off her face.  
  
"Thanks for being so supportive guys," said Rika, smiling slightly.  
  
"I'm hungry," Kazu complained.  
  
"We could always go to my house and have some of yesterday's leftover bread," Takato suggested. {AN: His parents do work in a bakery right? Correct me if I'm wrong.}  
  
"Sounds good to me," Kazu started walking off down the path.  
  
"What is it with guys and food?" Rika asked Jeri, rolling her eyes.  
  
"I'm as clueless as you are," Jeri stifled a giggle.  
  
"Sorry guys but I've got to go help my mum with the packing," Rika apologised.  
  
"That's fine, it means there'll be more food for the rest of us," Kenta started to follow Kazu.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Rika watched her friends go off down the path laughing about something, wondering when she'd next see them. She rubbed her arms for warmth and went back the way she'd come, turning her back on the park for the last time.  
  
***  
  
"Rika!" her mother shouted down the empty hall, "I need you to help me with this suit case."  
  
Rika stopped staring out the window and followed her mother's voice down the hall. She was struggling with a heavy suitcase trying to get out the door and in to the taxi that would take them to the airport.  
  
Rika lifted the other end taking half the weight, they both managed to get it out the door where the taxi man helped them put it in the boot of the car.  
  
"Is that all ma'am," he asked gruffly.  
  
"Yes that's all," Rika's mum got into the car, "thank you for all your help."  
  
"Just doing my job," he said, getting in to the drivers seat.  
  
Rika got into the car after her mother and closed the door behind her. The engine started and the car slowly turned out of the street, picking up speed as they got on to the main road.  
  
Rika looked out the window, watching the familiar landscape pass by. It truly was winter now, the branches of the trees had no leaves left on them.  
  
They finally arrived at the airport which was as busy as ever. The taxi man pulled the car up next to the entrance of the departures terminal.  
  
"I'll just go and get a trolley for all your bags," he said, getting out of the car.  
  
He came back with a baggage trolley and helped them load their bags on to it.  
  
"Thank you for all your help," Rika's mum said, paying the driver.  
  
"It was nothing," the driver got back in to the car and drove round the airport, waiting for some arrivals who were in need of a lift home.  
  
Rika sat down on one of the chairs and listened to her discman while her mum checked their bags in. She looked around at the people walking past, some I a hurry to catch their flights, others sitting, waiting just like her. She looked up to the departures board, there was still another 40 minutes before their flight.  
  
Rika's mother sat down next to her, "All done," she sounded relieved. "How about we get something to eat before we leave, aeroplane food is always so bland."  
  
"Sure, ok," Rika shoved the discman in to her pocket, "whatever."  
  
They went to one of the cafés and ordered some food.  
  
"Are you excited about moving?" she asked her silent daughter.  
  
"I guess so," was the short reply.  
  
After finishing their meal they passed the time with idle conversation until a crackly voice announced their flight over the intercom.  
  
"That's us," Rika's mum got up from the table and walked off towards the gate.  
  
Rika followed her slowly. This is the last time I'm going to be in this city she thought but it doesn't bother me, change is for the good, everything has to change and nothing can stay the same.  
  
***  
  
Rika sat back in her seat waiting for the plane to take off. As the plane started to taxi the safety video came on, telling people about the location of their life-jacket and what to do in an emergency. After take off, Rika put her headphones on to pass the time.  
  
About an hour in to the flight the air hostesses came around handing out the meals.  
  
"Would you like beef or chicken?" one of them asked Rika.  
  
"Chicken will be fine thanks," Rika hoped she was making the right choice, you never knew what to expect with air line food.  
  
She took the foil of the dish and started to eat, her mother had been right, it was bland. After eating her meal Rika fell in to a deep and dreamless sleep.  
  
***  
  
Rika woke up just in time to experience the sensation of having her ears pop, they were landing. She jolted in her seat as the plane hit the ground. It slowly turned around and wound down to a halt. After the plane had stopped everyone got out of their seats and collected up their various belongings.  
  
Rika tried to get out of her seat but was pushed back by the throng of people, it didn't help either that her legs had gone to sleep. She and her mother finally pushed themselves out into the aisle and got off the plane.  
  
It was cold as hey walked through the tunnel but became warmer as thy entered the airport. They walked in to baggage retrieval and found a trolley while waiting for their bags to come through.  
  
After a short wait the bags came round on the conveyer belt. Rika's mother pushed through the crowd when she saw their bags and hauled them on to the trolley.  
  
They walked to the airport's entrance and waited for a taxi to come by. When one did Rika's mother flagged it down.  
  
"Good evening miss," the driver got out of the car, "how may I help you."  
  
"Could you please take us to Driver's road?" Rika's mother asked.  
  
"Certainly," he replied helping them load their bags in to the boot.  
  
They got in the car and the driver drove out of the airport car park and on to the main highway.  
  
Rika watched the unfamiliar landscape pass by and put her discman on, they were almost there.  
  
After about half an hour the driver turned the car down a narrow road, "which number do you want?" he asked.  
  
"27," said Rika's mother after looking at a piece of paper in her hand.  
  
He pulled up out side a pretty white, two storied house with a grey roof and a large garden.  
  
"Well this is it Rika," her mother smiled at her, "Our new home."  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon 


	3. A New School

Chapter 3 is finally here, sorry I took a while to write it but I've been writing poetry recently, had a social studies project and went on holiday for a week so yah.

You get to meet all of my lovely OC's in this chapter so enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, would you actually believe me if I said I did.

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Rika walked down the frosty pavement to her new school, winter had truly set in now and it was freezing and the stuffy school uniform didn't provide any warmth.

She was wearing the school's grey blazer, white blouse, grey skirt, black tie, grey jersey and black tights. Whoever designed the uniform had no imagination, she felt like one of the grey clouds in the sky on a stormy day. Grey was so…..dull.

Their house was filled with brown cardboard boxes, some of which were fraying at the corners. It would take ages for her mother to get round to unpacking, she was too busy with all her little fashion shoots. (AN: Her mum is a famous model right? Correct me if I'm wrong.) 

The school loomed ahead of her, a dull grey concrete building. _What is with this place and grey! Next thing you know the school will be called something like 'Dull Hall, the home of everything grey and dreary'!_

She looked at the sign next to the entrance; 'Breyston Academy' was printed in bold grey letters. She also noticed an arrow next to the words 'Administration Building'. _Well that's where I need to go._

She followed the arrow through the school grounds taking in the surroundings, students passed by in the dull grey uniforms, some were just walking toward the imposing grey building, others were just loitering outside in their own groups. Rika trudged along the path that led down to the Administration Building, looking at the ground. This school seemed so dull, were the teachers going to be dull too? But then again when weren't teachers being a bore?

She walked up to the green door and slowly pushed it open.

A clerk with short brown hair and grey eyes looked up from her desk. She was wearing a beige suit and wiry glasses.

"I am Mrs Stonleigh," she introduced herself, "How may I help you?"

"I'm Rika Nonaka-" Rika started but was interrupted by Mrs Stoneleigh.

"Ah, you are the new girl am I right?"

"Yes," was the short reply.

Mrs Stoneleigh pressed the button for the intercom with one tapered finger, "Mrs Dunley," she said into the speaker, "Rika Nonaka has arrived."

She took her finger off the button and then spoke to Rika, "Mrs Dunley will be with you in just a moment, she'll get you sorted."

***

Miyuki toyed with her pencil, she was so bored! She brushed a light brown lock of hair that had fallen out of her pony-tail and tried to concentrate.

"You shall," the English teacher, Mrs Brighton, began, "Is an example of the auxiliary verb"

_People with monotones for voices should so not be allowed to teach, _Miyuki thought.

Mrs Brighton was the kind of teacher who wore feminine suits and had short cropped curly grey hair. She also had a voice that could bore the five thousand rather than feed them.__

Miyuki leaned over to the guy who was sitting next to her, Ryo Akiyama, "What mad insane person gave her a teaching licence?"

"Beats me," he replied, "They must have had a serious problem though."

"Is it just me or do all female teachers have short hair?" she asked quietly.

"It's not just you," was the hushed answer, "It's me too."

"You will not is what you would normally say," Mrs Brighton continued, unaware that whole class was on the verge of dieing from boredom, "You shall not is the forceful term. Miyuki, you shall listen to me during this class."

Miyuki shrank down in her seat as the rest of the class sniggered,_ you shall shut-up, _Miyuki thought forcefully, _why do teachers have that awful habit of humiliating people?_ _What I would give for something, for anything to put this class on hold and stop this arduous boredom._

Mrs Brighton continued with her lecture on the delights of the English language and how to use it correctly. Time went by as slowly as the slowest snail, Miyuki looked at the clock and sighed, still another twenty minutes before the bell rang and then she remembered that the clock was ten minutes fast.

Miyuki had almost fallen asleep when someone knocked politely on the door. The whole class turned to look at it silently praying that it was something that would divert Mrs Brighton's attention from the class. Mrs Brighton slowly walked over to the door and opened it.

"Ah, Mrs Dunley," she greeted, "Is this the new student?"

Rika just had to listen to that voice to know that this class was a bore.

"Yes Mrs Brighton," was Mrs Dunley's reply, "This is Rika Nonaka."

"Welcome dear," Mrs Brighton looked like the sort of person who called every one 'dear'.

"Well I'll be off now," Mrs Dunley said walking off down the hall.

_We needed a boredom buster and all we got was a new student, _Miyuki thought, _still at least it's better than nothing._

"Class I would like to introduce you to Rika Nonaka," Mrs Brighton turned to address her class.

Rika looked round the room and saw a sea of grey that was bored out of its mind. The class was just like any other, desks with chairs and posters promoting the importance of education along the walls. Feeble rays of sunlight shone through the window but it did nothing to warm the classroom up, it was still freezing.

"Well," Mrs Brighton said expectantly, "Aren't you going to say hello."

And she still treated her class like a bunch of kids.

_We are sixteen for heaven's sake, _Miyuki inwardly groaned, _you're treating us like five year olds._

"Hi…." someone ventured.

"Well Rika," Mrs Brighton looked disappointed, "There's a spare seat next to Miyuki." She pointed toward an empty desk.

Rika walked over to the empty seat and sat down in it, not long after she had Mrs Brighton continued with boring her class out of their minds.

After what seemed like an age the bell rang, it was shrill tinny sound that had vast effects. The whole class abruptly got out of their seats and rushed outside, some however followed a little more sedately. Miyuki walked over to Rika.

"So you're new here," she commented politely.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure that out," Rika replied in bored tone.

"I was just making polite conversation," Miyuki retorted, _what's her problem?_

"So how are things going?" Ryo walked over to the two, "Now that we are free from the bore."

"Things are still boring," Miyuki replied, a downcast look in her hazel eyes.

"True," Ryo looked thoughtful, "Mrs Brighton's effects of boredom can last the rest of the day."

"You're only bored because you have the attention span of a flea," Rika snapped before she walked off.

"Spastic," Miyuki was quiet.

_Why does my personality always get in the way? _Rika thought to herself, _Miyuki wasn't that bad, she was just trying to be nice but something about that guy just made me I dunno, angry. _Rika walked off to her next class she could apologise to Miyuki later.

"So, what have you got now?" Ryo asked Miyuki.

"Science, how about you?"

"Maths."

Miyuki walked off toward the science lab and bumped into her best friend, Raven, along the way. Raven had long strait black hair and dark eyes.

"Hi Ray," Miyuki was sounded bored.

"You just had English didn't you?" Raven asked sympathetically.

"Did you memorize my timetable or something?" Miyuki was suspicious.

"No," Raven said defensively, "Only a person who has just sat through one of Mrs Brighton's classes can sound that bored."

The two walked into the science lab and sat down in their seats just before the bell that signalled the beginning of class rang.

***

It was the end of school and Rika was just about to start walking home when she spotted Miyuki, the girl from her English class, who was talking to a girl with black hair. She walked over to them.

"Miyuki isn't it?" Rika asked.

"Yeah, why are you asking?" Miyuki recognised her as the new girl, Rika.

"I just wanted to apologise for being cranky earlier."

"Don't worry about it," Miyuki reassured her, "Everyone's titchy after English."

"Mrs Brighton has that effect on people," Raven said, "Oh, and I'm Raven."

"Rika," Rika introduced herself, "And I thought some of the teachers at my old school were bad."

"Yes well Mr Brighton's in a class all of her own," Miyuki had an expression of mock thoughtfulness on her face.

"Well I have to go now," Raven started walking out the gates, "Bye."

"Bye, see you tomorrow," Miyuki waved and walked down the street to get into her mum's car.

Rika set off at a brisk pace toward her own house, all in all it hadn't been a bad day.

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Ok, so that was really boring but I promise that the next chapter will be better. Please review because I live off them and remember constructive criticism, not flames.  


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